Category Archives: Naming Ceremony

Rivers dry up, but not their names. -Benin, Nigeria, Togo (Yoruba) West Africa NIGERIA Igbo. In Igbo society, naming ceremonies may take place four days after a child’s birth, but more often, the naming ceremonies take place on the eighth day, depending on the health of the mother and child. Paternal grandparents officiate Igbo ceremonies. The ceremony begins with ancestor recognition and divination, followed by the name giving and planting of a live plant to represent life and survival. Next, a participant pours a wine libation to share the child’s name with the ancestors. After the usual breaking of kola … Continue reading (stay interested)

The tortoise said if the old things happen, do not call her; but if a new thing happens, call her. -Nigeria (Igbo) A generic Afridiasporic naming ceremony could flow as follows: Prepare for the ceremony by having some of the following items available: Water (vitality and change); plant (life); soil/earth (child’s origin, humanity’s origin); oil (calm); sugar (sweetness); kola nut (longevity); wine (happiness of community); candle (guiding light); cowry shells (wealth). Drape a small table in African fabric and decorate it with some of the following: African fabric, plants, and African artifacts. Open the ceremony with remarks by oldest relative … Continue reading (stay interested)

Eight Bowls Full of Life by Makungu M. Akinyela, Ph.D. (printed with permission) The House of Umoja, a Black Nationalist political and cultural organization, introduced an eight bowl life cycle ceremony to Black communities in the U.S. Thus, for the past thirty-five years, Blacks in the U.S have highlighted thousands of significant life passages- naming ceremonies, weddings, graduations, funerals – by observing this eight bowl ritual, summarized here: In preparation for the ritual, a low lying table is decorated with traditional African centered cultural symbols and then used as a ceremonial altar. An elder, either female or male, usually leads … Continue reading (stay interested)

The Book

“One thing that sets this book apart from other name books is that it makes clear that it’s not just for babies.” - Los Angeles Times

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Praise

“Dr. Askhari Johnson Hodari captures the essence of African cultural identity and expressivity with this wonderfully rich treasure trove of African names that are at the root of African creativity and intellect. The African Book of Names is a testament of affirmation, confirmation, and reclamation, both transformative and empowering, returning us to our ancestral home.”

- Tony Medina, author of My Old Man Was Always on the Lam and I and I, Bob Marley

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